Automatic form stop attachment for addressograph machines



Apnl 9, 1957 G. H. SHIPLEY EIAL 2,787,951

AUTOMATIC FORM STOP ATTACHMENT FOR ADDRESSOGRAPH MACHINES Filed Jan. 18, 1954 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 eARLANd H. SHIPLEY WiLLIAM E. RUTHERFORD T g fi d i ATTORNEYS April 9, 1957 H. SHIPLE-Y ETAL 2,787,951

AUTOMATIC FORM STOP ATTACHMENT FOR ADDRESSOGRAPH MACI-IINES Filed Jan. 18, 1954 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 .IN'VENTORS GARLAND a. SHIPLEY IWILL'JAM' E. RUTHERFOFiD ATTORNEYS FIG. 4.

AUTOMATIC FORM STOP ATTACHlVIENT FOR ADDRESSOGRAPH MACHINES Garland H. Shipley and William E. Rutherford, Bristol, Va.

Application January 18, 1954, Serial No. 404,490

6 Claims. (Cl. 101-56) This invention relates to an automatic form stop for an addressing machine and is designed to be attached to such machine. It is primarily designed to be applied to an Addressograph class 1900 machine manufactured by the Addressograph Division of the Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio. Such a machine is shown and described in the U. S. patent to Hueber, No. 2,359,850, dated October 10, 1944.

The invention relates to means for stopping cards, sheets or envelopes or other forms in proper position under the platen head of the Addressograph. In the utility field, for example, there is a growing tendency to use postcard type bills. These require the customers name and address in two or more places. The device of this invention provides means for automatically stopping the forms in proper position under the platen head for each or any desired printing position. I

An object of our invention is, therefore, to provide an automatic form stopping means for an Addressograph machine.

Another object of our invention is to provide a form stop mechanism having a stop finger which operates directly beneath the platen head.

An additional object is to provide a form stop mechanism in which a stop operates beneath the platen without interfering with the movements of the platen.

Another object is to provide a form stopping means which will stop a form at any predetermined position or positions under the platen head.

A further object is to provide a form stop attachment for an Addressograph machine which is directly timed from the main shaft of the machine.

Another object is to provide an attachment having adjustable stop fingers.

A further object is to provide an attachment for an addressing machine requiring no machine changes, the only modification being the provision of openings in the machine table.

Still another object is to provide a form stop mechanism which may be adjustably timed, merely by cam substitution or adjustment.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a form stop device in which all operating parts are located within the ordinary machine frame and below the table or cover of the machine.

These and other objects will appear in the following specification, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a partial perspective front view of a class 1900 Addressograph showing a location of our attachment;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the attachment as seen from inside the machine, the observer being at the rear thereof;

Figure 3 is a partial cross section substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the machine in which the observer is at the rear;

Sta P Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the timer;

Figure 6 is a left end view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a right end view of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a detail;

Figure 9 is an elevation, and

Figure 10 is a section of a form stop finger, taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Since this is an attachment for a well known type of addressing machine and since, except for the timer drive, it is independent of the machine to which it is attached, only those parts of the Addressograph are shown which are essential to an understanding of the location and operation of the attachment.

The parts shown in Figure 1 represent approximately those noted as P and V in Figures 1 and 4 of the patent to Hueber above referred to. In accordance with the operation described in said patent, the corresponding parts of this application execute a forward movement wherein the platen 2 is carried forwardly to a position over the form. Arms 3 then lower the platen onto'the form and begin a rearward movement over the form to make the impression. The arms 3 then elevate the platen to its starting position. The location of form stop 16 as shown in Figure 1 is in the path of movement of platen roller 2 during its printing movement. However, due to the operation later to be described, the stop is retracted as the roller moves and does not interfere with its operation. The operation of the platen may thus be considered a substantially vertical and horizontal movement. The machines with which this device is used are usually provided with automatic form feeding devices. One such device is described in connection with Figure '72 of the aforesaid patent to Hueber. Although, as described, the machine of this invention is assumed to be applied to such a machine, it is by no means to be considered so limited, but can as readily be used where the forms are fed manually.

In the drawings, numeral 1 represents the table or cover of an Addressograph machine with which our invention is used. 2 represents the platen. 3 is the platen frame which is operated to cause a type plate to make an impression upon a form located beneath the platen. i represents a form positioned by a stop finger 16 for printing. Stop finger 16 projects through an opening 5 in the machine table. Other openings may-be provided at the right of stop finger 16 in Figure 1 to accommodate stop fingers such as 10, 11 and 12 of Figure 2. The stop finger 16 is located directly beneath the platen, and in its path of movement, it is however, so timed that it offers no interference to the movement of the platen.

Stop fingers 16, 10, 11 and 12 are adjustably mounted respectively on levers 13, 14, 15 and 16. The adjustment consists of providing a suitable number of teeth 17 on each of the levers. The fingers such as 16 (Figures 9 and 10) are provided with teeth 18 to cooperate with teeth 17, and springs 19 housed in pockets 20 in the lower ends of the fingers. Springs 19 bear against the levers to hold teeth 18 in engagement with teeth 17 to maintain any desired adjustment of the fingers. This construction permits easy adjustment ofthe stops, yet holds them securely in adjusted position.

This attachment is afiixed on the inside of frontma chine frame member 21 by means of hangers 22 and 23 and comprises a plate member 24 from which fingers 22 and 23 are cut and bent to desired shape. A clip 25 attached to plate 24 by a screw or bolt 26 retains the attachment in position on machine frame 21. Suitable rubber bumpers 33, 34 are placed between the plate 24 Stop levers or arms 13, 14 and 16' are pivoted at 27 on rod 27a and are held in normally inoperative position by means of springs 28, 29 and 31, respectively. The arms 13, 14, and 16' are respectively connected by links 36, 37, 38 and 39 to cores or plungers i9, 41, 42 and 43 operating respectively in solenoids 44, 45, 4-6 and 47 and which are controlled as will now be described. Stop lever 15 is pivoted at 96a on link 35, which is pivoted at 9617, and is also pivoted at 960 on linl; 32 pivoted at 27 on stud 27a and is held inoperative by spring 30.

Located at a suitable point on the machine frame near the end of the drive or operating shaft 48 (Figure 5) is a timing device. A frame 49, 50, 51- is afiixed to the frame of the Addressograph in such manner that pinion 52 having a hub 53 may be operatively connected to drive shaft 48. Frame members 49 and carry shaft 54 having gear 55 mounted thereon which meshes with pinion 52 on shaft 48. Also mounted on shaft are a plurality of earns 56, 57,. 58, 59, 6t 61 and 62. These cams respectively operate movable contacts of switches 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 and 69. Switches 63-69 inclusive are respectively connected by wires 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 75 and 76 to suitable ones of the solenoids i l- 57 inclusive. The manner of these connections is a matter of choice such that a solenoid may be energized by one or more of the cams 56-62 inclusive. The connections are, therefore, not shown. Conductor 77 leads to a source of electric current, preferably 110 A. C., and this source is connected to a common lead on the solenoid by means of conductor 77a as is common and well known in the art. Common wire 77a is connected to terminal 78, 79, 80 and 81 on the solenoids 44, 45, 46 and 47 respectively. The other terminals 82, 83, 84 and 85 are respectively connected by suitable wires 86, 87, 88 and 89 with the wires 70-76 inclusive. As the wires 86-89 are less in number than wires 76-76, suitable switches, connecting blocks or other means may be used to connect them in the desired predetermined arrange ment. If deemed advisable, some of the wires 712-76 may be omitted in any particular machine. The number of cams, switches. and solenoids is a matter of choice for a particular operational condition. The four solenoids and seven cams and switches here shown must not, therefore, be taken as a limitation of the scope of our invention. A conventional switch SW may be placed in the line 77 to render all the solenoids inoperative when necessary.

The switches are mounted by screw Q5 on a bar 9 having a longitudinal slot 91 thereon and having a right angled arm 92 provided with a slot 93. This bar is held by screw 94 in such a manner that switches are properly co-re lated with the cams which operate them. Elements 97-104 represent hangers and plunger stops for the solenoids.

Numerals -111 represent well-known elements of an Addrcssograph machine as follows; is the ribbon, 196 the deter block, 107 the ribbon roll shaft, 198 the ribbon roll hanger, 109 the ribbon support, 116 the plate stop shown at 690 in the aforesaid patent to Hueber, and 111 the operating lever for the plate stop. Numerals 112 to 117 represent elements of the plate feeding or cor.- veying mechanism. Such mechanism is well known and is illustrated in Figures 3 and 43-46 in the aforesaid patent to Hueber.

The operation of the attachment is apparent from the above description and is summarized as follows: During operation of the machine, the main shaft 45% is continuously rotated and thus rotates cam shaft The cams on shaft 54 close contacts on switches 63-69 once during a single revolution of shaft, which corresponds to a plurality of revolutions of shaft 48. As switches 63-69, or at least those that are included in the particular arrangement in use, are operated, the appropriate solenoids 44-47 are energized to elevate appropriate stop fingers to a position above the table 1, for example, as shown" at 16 in Figure l. During this operation, a form 4 has been fed to the table, either manually or by means of suitable feeding devices, and a plate 113 has been transferred from the magazine, not shown, to the printing position. Continued operation of the machine causes the platen to descend and make the desired impression on form 4, as explained above.

The timing is so set that the stop finger 16 is retracted just as the platen reaches printing position so that there is no interference with the operation of the platen.

it is to be understood that the particular configuration of the links 36-39 and of arms 13-16 as shown in the drawings is an expedient which depends primarily on space limitations and is not to be considered as any limitation of the scope of our invention. To associate this attachment with an Addressograph machine of the type mentioned, it is merely necessary to remove the cover ,nlvte or table 1 and form openings such as 5 to 9 inclusive at desired predetermined points thrcein, then to clamp the attachment to the machine frame 21. The assembly containing the cam shaft 54 is then attached to the frame in a position so that the hub 53 of gear 52 may be connected to shaft 48. After connecting the switches 63 to 69 in a suitable predetermined manner to the solenoids 44 to 47 inclusive, the attachment is ready for operation.

We claim:

1. in combination with an addressing machine having a frame, a horizontally arranged table on said frame along which forms are adapted to be fed, a vertically and horizontally movable platen mounted above said table and adapted for pressure engagement with a form on the table, and a drive shaft below said table; a form stop attachment for said machine removably secured to said frame below said table and comprising a horizontally disposed rod mounted on said frame, a lever pivoted between its ends on said rod, a stop finger on said lever adjacent one end thereof, a through opening in said table to accommodate said finger, said finger projecting above said table and into the path of movement of said platen when in its operative position and being disposed below the upper surface of said table when in its inoperative position, a solenoid operatively connected to the other end of said lever to move said finger through said opening when said solenoid is energized, a spring operatively connected to said lever to retract said finger to a position below the upper surface of said table when said solenoid is deenergized, a switch connected to a source of electricity for energizing said solenoid. a timer operatively connected to said drive shaft, and means on said timer cooperating with said switch to operate said lever and in turn said stop finger is timed relation to the operation of the machine for positioning a form in a predetermined position beneath said platen.

2. in combination with an addressing machine having a frame, a horizontally arranged table on said frame along which forms are adapted to be fed, a vertically and horizontally movable platen mounted above said table and adapted for pressure engagement with a form on the table, and a drive shaft below said table; a form stop attachment for said machine, means to removably secure said attachment to said frame below said table, said attachment comprising a horizontally disposed rod. a plurality of levers each pivoted between its ends on said rod, said levers being adapted to swing in substantially parallel vertical planes, a stop finger on each of said levers adjacent one end thereof, a through opening in said table adjacent each finger, each of said openings accommodating a single finger when said finger projects above said table and into the path of movement of said platen, a solenoid operatively connected to the other end of each of said levers to move its finger through the adjacent opening when said solenoid is energized, a spring operatively connected to each of said levers to retract the respective finger to a position below the upper surface of said table when said solenoid i's deenergized, a separate switch for each solenoid connected to a source of electricity for energizing each of said solenoids, a timer operatively connected to said drive shaft and including a cam shaft, cams on said cam shaft each cooperating with a respective one of said switches to operate one of said levers and in turn its stop finger in timed relation to the operation of the machine for positioning a form in a predetermined position beneath said platen.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said stop finger is provided with means to adjustably hold it in dlfferent positions on said lever.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means on said timer comprises a cam shaft and a cam thereon.

5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for securing said attachment to said frame comprises a substantially vertically arranged plate having a clamp on one side thereof.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said solenoids are mounted on said plate.

References Qited the file of this patent UNETED STATES FATENTS 1,116,723 Spiess Sept. 15, 1914 1,189,264 Kubel July 4, 1916 1,286,714 Moore Dec. 3, 1918 1,531,270 Blaine Mar. 31, 1925 1,717,231 Krell June 11, 1929 2,650,745 Woodrufr Aug. 11, 1936 2,211,310 Andrews Aug. 13, 1940 2,240,667 Paris May 6, 1941 2,339,188 Payne Ian. 11, 1944 2,359,850 Hueber Oct. 10, 1944 2,359,852 Morse Oct. 10, 1944 2,570,112 Gollwitzer Oct. 2, 1951 

